TRS Staff

At the United Nations General Assembly in New York City, President Donald Trump defended his trade fights with other countries, charging to world leaders on Tuesday that the U.S. will act in its “national interest” when it feels cheated. The President’s remarks come just one day after the latest developments in the trade war with China, with the Trump Adminstration tacking on an additional 10 percent tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese goods with the President citing the measure in effort to defend American workers.

“We will no longer tolerate such abuse. We will not allow our workers to be victimized, our companies to be cheated, and our wealth to be plundered and transferred,” Trump said in New York.

President Trump also listed his administration’s successes during his first term in office, including withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal and working to establish a good relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to dismantle the country’s nuclear missile program. Moreover, he talked about renegotiating what he cited as “broken and bad trade deals” with countries who he said gained an “unfair advantage” over the U.S. in the past.

Although lawmakers have argued that the trade conflict with China will raise costs for consumers, President Trump sees the tariffs only as means to a productive end. Speaking on the narrative that helped spring him into office, Trump fixed his sights on accosting multiple countries who he said have abused U.S. workers for years. He criticized nations admitted to the World Trade Organization that “violate every single principle” on which the group is based, according to a report from CNBC.

Nevertheless, Trump aimed most of his jabs at China. He criticized the country for product dumping, alleged currency manipulation, and charged theft of intellectual property, all of which led to massive duties being placed on the country.

“Our trade imbalance is just not acceptable,” President Trump said. He added that any efforts by Beijing to distort markets “cannot be tolerated.”

If you live in the Northern Virginia area and commute to work on Interstate 66 every day then you have probably felt the effects of Jennifer Wexton, an area state senator that is currently running for the House of Representatives in Virginia’s Tenth Congressional District. The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) has released a new hard-hitting ad showing how those living in the suburbs west of Washington, D.C., have gotten “Wexton’d” as a part of their “daily reality.”

While on the General Assembly’s Senate Transportation Committee, Wexton backed a deal proposed by then-Governor Terry McAuliffe (D) leading to massive toll hikes on I-66. During peak travel times, which are normal morning commuting hours for tens of thousands in the Northern Virginia area, the tolls reached $47.25 on two mornings in January, and were commonly in the $40 range in April. Of course, this was after Democrats told Virginians that the ballyhooed Terry Tolls would never reach $15.

Other than supporting high priced tolls on middle-class Virginians, Wexton backs progressive tax hikes. She said in 2015 that “In areas that are experiencing rapid growth, like Loudoun County, the costs associated with governing are becoming too high to rely exclusively on property taxes,” as stated in a questionnaire created by the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce. Her solution is to “allow local governments to diversify their revenue sources,” which means additional, more widespread tax hikes.

All of this means, as the NRCC ad states, “The rest of the state gets a free ride. We [Northern Virginia] get Wexton’d.”

There is a pattern with Wexton raising taxes on Virginians to pay for progressive agenda items. As a self-described “tax and spend liberal,” one who vows to roll back the federal Republican tax overhaul, she will undoubtedly work to raise government revenue in Congress by sticking her hands into he pockets of middle class Virginians – leaving everyone Wexton’d.

 

Former President Barack Obama thrust himself back into the spotlight recently, accusing President Donald Trump of being a “threat to our democracy,” all the while touting himself being the purveyor of one of the greatest economic booms in U.S. history. Last week, Obama stirred controversy after he gave a speech at the University of Illinois and explained how the great successes seen in the American economy are, in fact, his, not Trump’s.

“When you hear how great the economy is doing right now, let’s just remember when this recovery started,” Obama said. “I’m glad it’s continued but when you hear about this economic miracle that’s been going on, when the job numbers come out, monthly job numbers, suddenly Republicans are saying ‘It’s a miracle.’ I have to remind them — actually, those job numbers are the same as they were in 2015 and 2016.”

Of course, President Trump responded to the claims rather quickly, telling loyal supporters that “He was trying to take credit for this incredible thing that’s happening. It wasn’t him.”

Even the Associated Press accosted Obama by entitling an article: “Obama doesn’t always tell the straight story.”

Though, as media types fight over the ownership of the burgeoning economy, Campus Reform, a conservative news site focused on higher education, went to Michigan State University to ask young college students who they think deserves credit for how well the economy is performing.

The answers, compared with with the rhetoric that has been coming out of college campuses since the 2016 campaign, were surprising – surprisingly accurate.

When asked about Obama’s comments, one student said, “He’s been out long enough now, [the economy] is not on him anymore, it’s more on Donald Trump. I guess he’s a little bit in the wrong.”

“I would, unfortunately, side with Trump on this one. I think he has done a lot for the economy that Obama didn’t do such a good job on so I’ll side with Trump on that one,” added another.

As displayed in the video, many self-identified liberals were in agreement with Trump’s effects in the booming economy – even if they didn’t like to admit it.

Other students added, “I feel like once a President’s done they hand it off,” and “in terms of [economic] confidence and changing people’s attitudes, I would say that’s mostly Trump.”

“Of all the things I have a problem with, the economy isn’t one of them… He’s a businessman. I think that’s his strong suit,” admitted one student.

Other responses were:

“His tweets and stuff, I find offensive…but economically I feel like he’s really helping us.”

“Overall yeah, he does make some good deals.”

“I do know for a fact he’s been helping…and we’ve been doing better with unemployment.”

There were numerous examples of students agreeing with the cause and effect relationship between Trump and the U.S. economy. For those in the media that are continuing to disparage President Trump and his policies that have clearly helped grow the economy to above four percent quarterly growth – when Obama said three percent was impossible – they now look a bit petty for protecting their own kind.

Unemployment levels have hit half-century lows in every single demographic, there are more jobs than there are people to fill them, the stock market has hit over 100 record highs since election night 2016 – just a few examples of a renewed confidence in the American economy. While liberal college kids were extraordinarily apprehensive to agree with anything Trump has done or stands for, they cannot hide it any longer.

The American economy is a triumph.